Scrolling through Instagram led Kent State alumnus Liam Reis, '18, to the opportunity of a lifetime: serving as a Youth Ambassador for the USA Pavilion at World Expo in Dubai from Jan. 7 until April 2, 2022.
Reis felt drawn to this amazing opportunity after seeing the Instagram ad — a photo of the USA Pavilion in which he would work if selected as an Ambassador. He learned that Youth Ambassadors would be representing the United States at the Global Expo and be a part of a program with the U.S. Department of State.
Liam was competitively selected for this honor, and through his position, he is learning how to engage the public in international diplomacy. He also learned how to give tours/presentations to high delegate officials from businesses or governments.
The serves as a cost-effective platform to promote commercial and public diplomacy objectives. For more than 170 years, they have provided a platform to showcase the greatest innovations that have shaped the world we live in today. By using social media and in person events, they have been able to expand their reach to millions of people. Expo 2020 is the first to be hosted in the Middle East.
Reis says his greatest success so far has been meeting other Ambassadors, diplomats, and high-profile businesspeople, through attending national events at the World Expo.
During his time at Kent State, where he minored in communication studies, he was drawn to the opportunity to open his mind to world affairs.
“My professors, especially (Associate Professor Stephanie Danes Smith), taught me the values of being a global citizen with a vested interest in humanity's well-being,” Reis said.
His coursework studies included Intercultural Communication, Global Studies, and Public Speaking, all skills he uses today.
Reis’s advice for students interested in global opportunities is: “Take your time researching opportunities where you can have your travel paid for, whether it’s an academic or cultural exchange, or an actual paying job. These international experiences only beget more international experiences when you start building them on your resume!”